EXTRACTS FROM AN ANONYMOUS JOURNAL. 7 3 



gram from his inseparable knapsack or Jhola, and sur- 

 reptitously put it into his mouth, and began chewing the 

 same until it was reduced to a fine pulp. This inge- 

 nious device of Janardan's succeeded admirably, as the 

 birds began eating out of his mouth just as they used to 

 do from that of their parents. The young parrots 

 holding on to Janardan's abundant and flowing beard, 

 and eating out of his mouth was a ludicrous sight in- 

 deed, and moved even the grave and sedate Svamiji to 

 laughter. 



On his return Janardan at once disposed of two of 

 the birds, presenting one to the patient for whose benefit 

 the journey was undertaken, and the other to the first 

 juvenile friend he met. I am told that he was ready to 

 give away the third to statisfy the importunity of an- 

 other boy friend of his, but the young bird had taken so 

 kindly to him that it positively refused to part company 

 with him. 



Janardan's idea of bird-fancying differed consider- 

 ably from the orthodox system in that his numerous 

 pets, comprising robins, bulbuls, orioles, sunbirds, cuc- 

 koos, wagtails, crows, and magpies had never known what 

 captivity wars, since the day when their education was 

 supposed to be completed, and yet they were ever ready 

 to obey his beck and call. When after an absence of a 

 fortnight or more, Janardan returned to his Arcadian 

 retreat, the doyal birds warbled their rich sweet songs 

 of welcome, to which the bulbuls responded in chorus. 

 From behind the leafy bowers came the soft and 



